Aside from a healthy, well balanced diet, some supplements and vitamins have been proven to help improve the skin and prevent premature aging. While it is always important to speak with your doctor first before taking any vitamins or supplements, here are some to ask about:
Omega Fish Oil
Healthy fats, also known as Omega 3's or Essential Fatty Acids, are truly your skin's best friend…for several reasons:
- They are the best way to hydrate your skin from the inside out! Taking your daily Omegas will help prevent dry, flaky skin and premature wrinkles. They also help to regulate the oil glands in your skin which is much appreciated if you are really oily or acne prone (like me)!
- They help maintain our skin cell membranes so that they are effective barriers, allowing water and nutrients in but keeping toxins out.
- They have amazing anti-inflammatory properties that help to relieve skin conditions like rosacea, eczema and even acne!
- They also seem to offer the skin protection against sun damage. In a skin cancer study, people who ate diets rich in fish oils and other omega-3 fats had a 29% lower risk of squamous cell skin cancer than those who got very little omega-3 fats from food.
- Since sometimes it's not feasible to include this skin superfood in to your daily diet, I like to take a supplement such as enteric-coated fish oil capsules like OmegaVia Fish Oil. Be sure to always check with your doctor first before taking supplements!
Vitamin D3
Aside from all the other essential benefits that Vitamin D3 provides, it’s anti-inflammatory properties help to rapidly repair and rejuvenate the skin making Vitamin D3 especially good for sensitive skin types or those with chronic inflammatory conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, etc. It’s antioxidant properties also help destroy free radicals which contribute to premature aging. Although the body does produce Vitamin D from the sun, the damaging UV rays are also aging to the skin. Therefore,
supplementing with a Vitamin D3 (and
Sunscreen! 😉) is most ideal to prevent unnecessary sun damage and maintain healthy D3 levels.
Marine Collagen
While taking a
collagen supplement will not create new collagen, supplementing with collagen can be supportive to the skin, hair and nails. It is important when looking for a collagen supplement that there are 2 basic forms of collagen: Type 1 & 3 (found in marine collagen) and Type 2 (found in bovine collagen). Bovine is the only Type 2 Collagen which is great for joints and tendons. Our dermis is 80% Type I and 10% Type III. Type I and Type III collagen are the key building foundation for youthful flawless skin. Marine collagen is primarily made of Type I and Type III collagen, which is the building blocks of our skin. Marine Collagen has been shown to have superior "bioavailability",1.5 times more absorbent than bovine, porcine or chicken collagen, because of its optimum (low) molecular weight.
Coenzyme Q10
Also known as Ubiquinone, Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme our bodies naturally produce and is found in every cell of our body. It helps produce cellular energy for healthy cells and neutralizes harmful free radicals that are a major cause of aging. As we age, our Coenzyme Q10 levels begin to deplete and most women over 30 years old have lower than optimal levels which begins to affect the skin’s ability to produce new collagen and elastin. When choosing a
Coenzyme Q10 supplement, be sure that it also contains BioPerine which allows for better absorption and bioavailability.
Resveratrol
Found in red grape skin, cranberries, blueberries and dark chocolate, resveratrol is a polyphenol that acts similarly to an antioxidant which prevents damage to the skin cells from oxidation. Our skin is constantly surrounded by oxidative stress from the pollution in the air, UV exposure, pore diet, etc. Resveratrol aids in repairing this damage, strengthens and boosts the skin’s resiliency and is an ally in preventing premature aging.
While all these supplements offer amazing benefits for your skin, only your doctor can determine if they are right for you. So, always ask your doctor before starting any new vitamin or supplement.
